Purpose of consultancy:
UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s new strategic plan (2022-2025), focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices.
Literature reviews on the Arab region indicate a growing demand for sexuality education among young people. However, various challenges hinder their ability to reach their full potential, realize their sexual and reproductive health and rights, and access accurate information and services. These obstacles can heighten their vulnerability and increase engagement in risky behaviors.
Across the Arab States region, countries are making progress in implementing Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) programs, a commitment reaffirmed during the ICPD+30 conference. Most UNFPA Country Programme Documents in the Arab region include CSE, and several Ministries of Education are developing school curricula and materials. Additionally, some countries are involved in Global out-of-school CSE projects funded by Norway, Canada, and Spain, while others integrate CSE into existing initiatives, such as girls' safe spaces, peer education programs, and youth responsive health services.
Despite advancements, many sexuality education curricula lack comprehensive coverage of essential topics, or alignment with the International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education. Although efforts have been made to enhance teacher training, many educators still feel ill-equipped to deliver CSE effectively. Students often report receiving information too late, underscoring the need for earlier implementation. While opposition to CSE—often driven by misinformation—persists, numerous countries have cultivated supportive environments by engaging parents, school officials, religious leaders, and young people.
CSE remains a key component of youth programming in Arab States Country Offices, yet the scope and implementation of these programs vary widely, ranging from comprehensive curricula to more limited initiatives. Some countries have adopted full, partial, or limited CSE programs, while others lack CSE programming altogether. A notable trend is the prevalence of out-of-school and digital CSE initiatives.
In recent years, the UNFPA Arab States Regional Office (ASRO) has conducted a desk review of CSE in the region, identifying challenges, opportunities, and lessons learned. ASRO has also developed a research paper on CSE integration in the Arab region. Other initiatives, such as the Regional CSE Operational Guide: Towards scaling up comprehensive sexuality education in the Arab Region: an operational guide for UNFPA staff and partners working on CSE implementation (2022), and the Regional CSE Situation Analysis - published in 2020. UNFPA ASRO also conducted internal mapping for country programs and CSE initiatives that provide valuable insights and frameworks.
Building on these efforts, UNFPA ASRO plans to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of CSE programs in the Arab region to further strengthen and inform future programming.
The consultant will be working directly with the Youth team and under the supervision of the Youth Advisor and in cooperation with the Monitoring and Evaluation unit and in coordination with gender and RH units .
The consultancy shall be conducted remotely.
Purpose of the Evaluation:
This evaluation will strategically assess the performance of UNFPA ASRO's CSE programming (in-school, out-of-school, and digital) over the past four years (2021-2024). Beyond assessing relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability, the evaluation will adopt a forward-looking lens. It will analyze the lessons learned and contextual realities to generate actionable findings on how to most effectively reach the next generation of adolescents and youth with quality CSE in the Arab States region.
Crucially, this evaluation will critically examine the underlying assumptions and success of the UNFPA ASRO CSE theory of change. It will identify what aspects of the current approach have proven successful and hold promise for the future, and what needs to be adapted or discontinued to optimize CSE access and impact for the next generation.
The evaluation will also identify/document lessons learned and make recommendations that CSE programmes might take into account to improve the design and implementation of other related projects and programs.
The evaluation will cover the period of 2021-2024. This evaluation will comprise an overview of CSE in the 14 countries in the Arab region in addition to in-depth analysis of 5 countries (Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Syria, & Palestine).
The evaluation seeks to answer the following key questions:
(i) Relevance for next generation:
How well do current CSE country programming align with evolving national priorities, cultural contexts, and the specific needs of adolescents and youth in the Arab region? To what extent does the CSE program align with developmental stages and respond to the evolving needs and expectations of different beneficiary groups (e.g., adolescents, marginalized groups, out-of-school youth)?To what extent are CSE programs aligned with the needs, expectations, and profiles of the target population? How relevant are the CSE delivery methods (in-school, out-of-school, digital) to adolescents and youth? in the context of rapidly changing technological landscapes and youth engagement patterns? How can these modalities be optimized for future reach and impact? How well do current programs integrate forward-looking cross-cutting themes such as evolving gender norms, increasing digital literacy, and emerging human rights considerations relevant to the next generation?(ii) Coherence:
To what extent does the CSE program complement and align with other national and regional strategies on sexual and reproductive health, education, and gender equality? How coherent is the program with broader UNFPA strategies and global frameworks (e.g., ICPD, SDGs, UN Inter-agency CSE Technical Guidance, and UN interagency technical and Programmatic Guidance on CSE out of school)? How can UNFPA ASRO foster stronger coherence and synergies with other development partners, anticipating future collaborations and avoiding potential duplications in reaching the next generation?(iii) Efficiency for scalability for future reach:
How efficient has the program been in using available resources (human, financial, and technical including M&E activities to inform decision making) to achieve its intended outcomes? Were the program’s delivery methods (including digital and out-of-school approaches) cost-effective in reaching diverse beneficiary groups? What lessons can inform more cost-effective and scalable approaches for reaching a larger number of young people in the future, considering diverse delivery methods?(iv) Effectiveness in Preparing the Next Generation:
To what extent has the CSE program achieved its intended outcomes, including improved knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among young people? What adaptations are needed to ensure future CSE effectively prepares the next generation for the challenges and opportunities they will face? What are the factors that influenced positively and/or negatively the progress towards achieving the intended outcomes? How can these factors be leveraged or mitigated to enhance the effectiveness of future CSE programming for the next generation? To what extent has the program addressed barriers (e.g., cultural resistance, misinformation) that hinder CSE delivery and uptake? ? What new or evolving barriers might hinder CSE delivery and uptake for the next generation, and how can future programs proactively address them?(v) Sustainability:
To what extent has the program influenced (through capacities development, established ownership, empowerment and resource mobilization mechanisms,..etc) policy shifts, public perceptions, and community engagement around sexuality education?This evaluation has the following principal tasks:
Literature review of the current situation of CSE initiatives in the Arab region, including an inventory of current CSE programs in the three domains/varieties “in-school, out of school and digital” against the standards of CSE. Critically evaluate the UNFPA ASRO CSE theory of change in light of the evaluation findings and future projections, identifying areas for strengthening or adaptation.You would be responsible for:
Inception report that outlines detailed evaluation plan, evaluation tools and methodology, and detailed timeline. Draft evaluation report for stakeholders validation. Final Evaluation report (including the literature review, in depth analysis for the 5 country offices, findings and recommendations). The length of the Report should not exceed 30 pages in total (excluding the annexes). With a dedicated section on \"Strategic Directions for Future CSE Programming in the Arab States Region\" based on the findings and lessons learned. The length of the report should not exceed 30 pages in total (excluding the annexes). Policy brief (Max 5 pages: Summary of the Desk review and recommendations for decision-makers and stakeholders.) with a strong emphasis on actionable recommendations regarding future CSE strategies. The language used for the deliverables is English. For this purpose, a young evaluator will be hired to support and coordinate with the lead consultant this evaluation that will be utilized as: (i) an advocacy tool throughout the region (ii) basis to develop the guidance to countries on future CSE strategies in the Arab region.Scope of work:
The young evaluator will be supporting the lead consultant for the evaluation of CSE in the Arab region. More specifically, the young evaluator should support the lead consultant in : Week 1 +2 - Support the development of the inception report for conducting the evaluation two weeks after the signature of the contract. This note should be discussed and agreed with the ASRO Youth unit. The inception report should include among others the methodology, the draft questionnaire, the timeline of each deliverable. Week 3 +4 - Support in the literature review of the most relevant references and strategic frameworks: UNFPA and UN frameworks on CSE, UN interagency CSE international technical guidance on sexuality education, ICPD, Nairobi commitments, etc., this task should be finalized by the third week of the assignment Week 5 to 8 Conduct data collection as outlined in the approved inception report and hold virtual meetings with countries to coordinate the necessary fieldwork as guided by the lead consultant. Week 9 +10 Support the development the draft report which should be ready by the end of June 2025 Week 11 - Co-facilitate a validation workshop.Approach and Methodology: the entire consultation will be done remotely this covers the desk review and the evaluation process and will include:
Comprehensive desk review: Analysis of existing literature, reports, and program documents. Key informant interviews with stakeholders at regional and country levels (ministries of education, partner organizations, UNFPA country office youth teams) Focus group discussions with adolescents and youth. Virtual surveys and questionnaires. Case study analysis of selected countries. The consultant will ensure ethical considerations (e.g., informed consent, confidentiality) are adhered to throughout the process. Support the lead consultant in The inception report development Provide support in the evaluation literature review of the most relevant references and strategic frameworks: UNFPA and UN frameworks on CSE, UN interagency CSE international technical guidance on sexuality education, ICPD, Nairobi commitments, etc.. This task should be finalized by the third week of 15 March 2025. Support the lead consultant in conducting the virtual meeting with countries for the needed field work and coordination Support the lead consultant in conducting interviews, and data collection. The young evaluator can facilitate virtual FGDs with young people as per the agreed methodology. Support the lead consultant in developing the draft report which should be ready by the end of June 2025 Coordinate with the lead consultant the final version of the evaluation with the youth team for final review and validation by July 2025.Approach and Methodology: the entire consultation will be done remotely this covers the desk review and the evaluation process. For the evaluation process, the evaluation team lead will decide on the best evaluation tool including questionnaire for COs, virtual FGDs…etc
Qualifications and Experience:
Education: Post graduate degree in the field of relevance for the assignment: medical sciences, public health, education sciences or any social sciences degrees.
Knowledge and Experience:
Languages: Very good command in English and Arabic, both oral and written.
UNFPA Work Environment:
UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.
Disclaimer:
Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.
Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.